Part 4/14:
He criticizes the current culture of “dunking,” suggesting that constant attacking and mocking can be counterproductive, especially when confronting participants in advocacy or political debates. Recognizing bad faith actors and audience manipulation—such as audience capture—are also critical points he highlights.
The Fragile Ecosystem of Social Media
Pakman discusses how social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter incentivize engagement through controversy. The algorithms favor divisive content, rewarding reactions like anger or outrage, which leads to an echo chamber effect. He recounts how the "adpocalypse" in 2017—a period during which advertising revenue was drastically impacted—highlighted the fragility of relying heavily on platform-dependent income.